Aaron Aguilar had first claimed she was at home with Robinson the night of Guillen's disappearance but allegedly confessed to her part when the body was discovered. (U.S. Army). On July 30, McCarthy directed the establishment of an Independent Review Committee to review the culture at Fort Hood. Robinson died by suicide shortly after her remains were discovered. Guilln's family has said Robinson had sexually harassed her, but the Army has said there is no evidence supporting the claim. Robinson said he did not conduct any small talk with Guillen, whom he said he knew only through their job functions. She has a masters degree from American University, lives by the beach, and hopes to own a teacup pig and taco truck one day. Learn about careers at Cox Media Group. Court documents filed on May 19 by Texas officials revealed a potential motive in the 2020 murder ofArmy Spc. "In looking at the culture we wanted to hear from them what their experience was when their daughter was missing, when the search was happening, what were their interactions with command," White said. Vanessa Guillen, 20, who vanished April 22, 2020, from the Texas military base. When I first went up to that base, that subject, I met him, not knowing that he had something to do with it. David Robinson, suspect in Vanessa Guillen's disappearance, died by suicide. '", She also allegedly told a fellow inmate that Robinson "snapped, that he had an image in his head. McCarthy said the case is still under investigation. Khawam said investigators told the family that Robinson called a woman he was involved with to help him dispose of Guillens body after moving it outside the base. 11:31 AM EDT, Fri July 3, 2020. Aaron Robinson killed himself with a gun just before the few days when charges against him were made public. On the day Guilln's remains were discovered, Aguilar was interviewed again by the authorities. The sergeant wasnt identified. Guilln was stationed at Fort Hood, a U.S. Army installation in Bell County, Texas, which is approximately 340 square miles (880km2) in size and home to III Corps and the First Cavalry Division. Vanessa Guillen, 20, vanished April 22, 2020, from Fort Hood, where she was stationed and worked as a small arms and artillery repairer. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved. "She was a person to be strong and from those two criteria, I've learned till this day, and especially during her disappearance and death, to not give up to fight and to be brave enough to speak up, because she wasn't given the right to speak up," she said. Robinson was one of the last people to see Guilln alive at Fort Hood and he had been interviewed by investigators when Guilln's initial disappearance was reported but was ruled out as a suspect. According to investigators, Aguilar confessed her involvement in the killing to a fellow inmate at the Bell County Jail. She obviously doesnt have any qualms with cutting up a human body into pieces and trying to burn Vanessas body, Khawam said. We feel pain, frustration and devastation. Robinson was in charge of the arms room to which she was going that day, according to a criminal complaint in the case. I am Vanessa Guillen is a movie about the life of Vanessa Guillen, a soldier who was killed in 2020. The outlet also reported that she was an athlete in school, playing soccer and running track as well as cross country. The Army said Tuesday that those relieved of duty include Major General Scott L. Efflandt, Colonel Ralph Overland and Command Sergeant Major Bradley Knapp. Her burned and dismembered remains were found June 30, 2020, about 26 miles away near Belton, Texas, on the Leon River. On July2, 2020, Aguilar was charged with one federal count of conspiracy to tamper with evidence. Guillen, who joined the Army in 2018, was posthumously promoted to specialist a couple of months later. Korin Miller is a freelance writer specializing in general wellness, sexual health and relationships, and lifestyle trends, with work appearing in Mens Health, Womens Health, Self, Glamour, and more. Guillen never returned to her workspace, leaving her belongings behind. [3] On July13, 2021, she was indicted on eleven counts by a federal grand jury. Robinson's girlfriend, Cecily Aguilar, was arrested and indicted by a grand jury under charges related to tampering with documents and Vanessa's body at the district court in Waco, Texas. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. Aguilar is currently being held as a federal inmate at the McLennan County Jail in Waco. WebHer Sisters Death Was Ignored So She Fought Back Vanessa Guillen#truecrime #iamvanessaguillen #truecrimecommunity Her remains were found burned and hacked into pieces on June 30, 2020, along the Leon River near Belton, where Robinson and his girlfriend, Cecily Anne Aguilar, had encased them in concrete and buried them. He said during Tuesday's press conference that Fort Hood had an ad hoc missing persons policy and "failed to institute crime suppression strategies.". "There was a founded fear that the confidentiality of the reporting process would be compromised," Swecker said. According to the courts official documents, Aaron struck Vanessa Guillen on her head with a hammer and ended up killing her; later, he hid her corpse in a large box and even tried to burn and dismember Vanessas body. What are your views on this article? [3] Guilln's family felt she disappeared under suspicious circumstances. Vanessa Guillen, 20, who vanished April 22, 2020, from the Texas military base. According to Robinsons girlfriend, Robinson then sexually assaulted Guillens lifeless body. As officers attempted to make contact with the suspect, the suspect displayed a weapon and discharged it toward himself. It can also mean to hit with heavy impact. Vanessa Guilln's sister Mayra dismissed Aguilar's claims while speaking to the news station. Witnesses came forward, however, and told detectives they had seen Robinson on the base the night of April 22, moving a large, heavy tote box from the arms room and into the back of his car. A- People are using #IAmVenesaGuillen all over Twitter and supporting Venessas family in every way possible, A- According to Reddit this Act will revamp charges and military investigation against assaults. Theres no reason why a young beautiful girl who joined the Army, to honorably serve our country, should be in a shallow grave near on our own turf., If this could happen to Vanessa, this can happen to any one of our sisters, daughters and mothers. Previously, soldiers whose whereabout were unknown were immediately listed as AWOL. The documentary details Vanessa's horrifying death and the steps her family took in the aftermath to create change. Guillens body was transported from the military installation by her killer, attorney Natalie Khawam told CNN, citing details the family learned during a meeting with Army investigators on Wednesday night. Aguilar also allegedly confessed to removing Guillen's body from the government-owned tote Robinson had put her in because "Robinson didn't want to.". In August 2022, Natalie Khawam, Guillens family Lawyer because of Vanessas Cause of Death, filed a lawsuit of $35 Million against the US Army for wrongful death and assault. We truly hope Vanessa receives justice, no family deserves to go through this. In the pursuit, they met Donald Trump. The term is used to describe what happened to Vanessa, and a lot of people have questions about what that actually means. She was later found dead. But who was Vanessa Guillen and what happened to her? *Trigger warning*: physical violence and sexual assault. The committee was composed of the regional director of a veterans' nonprofit and four lawyers with backgrounds that include law enforcement, military and government investigations, and complex employment issues. No family deserves to go through this. I then pointed out the smell in the room, that [U.S. Marshall task force officer John Ray] and myself were saturated in, and explained it was that of human remains, Texas Ranger Travis Dendy wrote in the report. ", Chris Swecker, a lawyer and former assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Investigative Division led the investigation. Why? Haley Britzky "[27], A mural in honor of Guilln was created in her hometown of Houston by a local artist. Khawam said the family told her that Guillen had planned to file a harassment complaint against Robinson the day after she was killed, and that they believe Robinson became enraged when she told him that. She decided to enlist in the Army at age 18, according to The New York Times. My sister was a very responsible person, that would not meddle into Robinsons and Aguilars alleged relationship, Mayra toldABC13 News. Carrie Ricci, an associate general counsel for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who also served on the panel, said interviews revealed that victims experienced "reluctance, and that feeling that we won't be believed.". Pfc. Tokenomics & Price, Skills To Become a Successful Entrepreneur During the College, A Complete Guide to Pass ECES Certification Exam. Rationalinsurgent is an online platform for the next-gen investors, buyers, and Crypto holders to explore and learn how digital assets and other cryptocurrencies Read More. Cecily Aguilar is a suspect in Vanessa Guillen's disappearance. Aaron Robinson hit Guillen in the head with a hammer after Guillen saw a picture of Aguilar on Robinsons phone, according to a61-page Texas Department of Public Safety investigation. Vanessa Guillen was a 20-year-old army specialist murdered at Fort Hood. Her murder also led to calls for change in how the military handles reports of sexual harassment and assault. I dont know.. He had been detained by his unit at the request of a CID agent under the pretense of violating COVID-19 quarantine rules. [26][3] Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Frazier and Greg Gloff are prosecuting the case on behalf of the federal government. She previously worked at Axios covering breaking news. Private First Class Vanessa Guillen is suspected was killed two years ago. After Robinson picked Aguilar up from work on April 22, 2020, he told her he had something to show her, according to Aguilar. I Am Vanessa Guillen is available to stream and download on Netflix now and audiences have been moved by the tragedy of what happened to 20-year-old Vanessa Guilln. The long-awaited report was released Friday. "She got the idea to buy the concrete that way from watching the show CSI/Criminal Minds and believed she would not leave a 'paper trail'," according to officials. [49]. [5] Tim Miller, Director of Texas EquuSearch, stated that it was the most sophisticated burial site he had ever seen. The investigation followed the death of Specialist Vanessa Guilln, who was bludgeoned to death at Fort Hood earlier this year. Cecily Aguilar will try everything in her power to walk freely, as we are being denied the truth at this very moment.. "It clarifies expectations and responsibilities of unit commanders and Army law enforcement authorities, focusing on the first 48 hours a soldier is missing," McCarthy said. According to the alleged confession, Aguilar bought concrete on Facebook Marketplace to help dispose of Guillen after Robinson admitted to killing her. Cecily Aguilar, the only defendant charged in the murder, told investigators that Spc. She reports on important developments within the service, from new uniforms to new policies; the realities of military life facing soldiers and their families; and broader cultural issues that expand outside of the Army, touching each of the military services. Extensive bone fracturing, sharp force damage and one likely saw cut And she added that Robinson hit Guillen in the head with a hammer. Robinson, 20, killed himself June 30, 2020, as investigators moved in to arrest him. The exact motive behind Guilln's death is unlikely to ever be known, considering her suspected killer, Robinson, died by suicide before police could arrest him. What did Vanessa Guillens family do after knowing her Autopsy report? "Aguilar later explained [during her confession in 2021] why Robinson killed Guilln saying Guilln saw Robinson's cellphone lock screen, which contained a picture of Aguilar," the Texas Department of Public Safety said in a report on May 24, 2022. 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